436. Twenty-fourth Sunday after Trinity. I.
Lord Jesus, awake us to believe in thee;
and powerfully strengthen
our faith. Amen.
Gospel Lesson, Matthew 9, 18-26. While he spake these things unto them, behold, there came a certain ruler, and worshiped him, saying, My daughter is even now dead: but come and lay thy hand upon her, and she shall live. And Jesus arose, and followed him, and so did his disciples. And, behold, a woman, which was diseased with an issue of blood twelve years, came behind him, and touched the hem of his garment: for she said within herself, If I may but touch his garment, I shall be whole. But Jesus turned him about; and when he saw her, he said, Daughter, be of good comfort; thy faith hath made thee whole. And the woman was made whole from that hour. And when Jesus came into the ruler’s house, and saw the minstrels and the people making a noise, he said unto them, Give place; for the maid is not dead, but sleepeth. And they laughed him to scorn. But when the people were put forth, he went in, and took her by the hand, and the maid arose. And the fame hereof went abroad into all that land.
❦
“The maid is not dead, but sleepeth.” In these words the Lord declares his power to save from death. To our nature death is invincible, and to our eyes there is no deliverance from it. Every man whose thoughts are controlled by the laws of reason must surrender to death unconditionally, whether he be good or bad, wise or stupid. In every case he is helpless; he knows nothing, and has nothing, which can deliver him from death. To Jesus, however, death is a sleep; he is able with a word to awaken one who is dead, as one who sleeps. For he is Lord not only within the boundaries of created nature, but also above and without. He is able to do whatever he will, by supernatural as readily as by natural means. “Whatsoever the Lord pleased, that did he in heaven, and in earth, in the seas, and all deep places.” Through faith only am I able to grasp this. My reason understands, to be sure, that God is infinitely great. When I consider that the sun is more than a million times as large as the earth, and yet is but as a grain of sand in the immensity of the universe which God has created; when I consider how he has marvelously formed me from the womb; I understand that God is great; but I also understand, — or possibly I do not, — that my thought can grasp but little or nothing of his greatness. Faith alone knows the glory of God, the power of God to create life from death.
In the gospels we always find our Lord Jesus in the midst of persons in affliction, who seek and receive help of him. Precious Savior, what a comfort this is for us; but do thou help me also to believe! This woman, “diseased with an issue of blood,” the Spirit of God had made humble through her long affliction; and now he had also given her faith by means of the word. She was unclean and excluded from human society; but now she comes notwithstanding, because she believes that Jesus will make her whole. She well knows that no man could do it; but she believes that it is in the power of Jesus, and she is not disappointed. Let everyone that is unclean, every sinner who is condemned by the law, and excluded from Israel, come to Jesus, and he shall save him. Jesus shall stop the issue of sin; its source shall be dried up; soul and body shall be cleansed and made whole. — The ruler of the synagogue in our text is another beautiful example of faith. When he had left home his daughter was at the point of death, and must, he thought, now be dead; yet he believes that Jesus is able to save her life. From his house comes the message that it is too late; but Jesus strengthens him, and he believes. Is his faith put to shame? Has any man who believed in the Lord been deceived? — “Yes,” say you, “this is all very well, did I but have such a faith!” You are right. Remember, however, that he who will humble himself, and pray God to give him faith, shall surely receive it! It is a gift of God, and created by his Spirit; it is a light in the soul, of a nature entirely different from the light of reason; and the Spirit is here in the word, and wishes to enlighten you. Faith is sure of the unseen and incomprehensible; so that the heart chooses it, and surrenders to it. Faith trusts in the Lord’s word, and builds on his promise without seeing. It knows that Jesus lives, and that he has given me his life; so that even though I die, yet I cannot die. Because he died and rose again, and I am baptized into him, and partake of his body and blood; therefore my sin is no sin, — though in itself it is damnable, and gives me pain every day, — and my death is no death, no matter how much I may feel it to be death itself both in soul and body. The Lord holds me fast; and there is no power can separate me from him. — Has the faith of the saints, then, no infirmities, do you think? Alas, it has many such; but do you come here, and strengthen your weak faith by the sight of the omnipotence and grace of your Savior! The woman in our text was hardly without superstition; and though she is lovable in her fear and trembling, yet her faith wavered. Jairus was on the very point of sinking down into the gulf of dark unbelief; he had been lost, had not the Lord at the proper time spoken to him, saying: “Be not afraid, only believe!” Let neither your sin nor your distress, neither your unbelief nor your weakness, neither your hardness of heart nor your blindness, keep you away from our Lord Jesus; but rather let all these things impel you to come to him. No power of hell can prevent your coming. If you can do no more, cry out to him: “Lord, I believe, help thou mine unbelief!” Do this, and your help is come. — Lord, let thy Holy Spirit enlighten us with his gifts. Amen.*
It is not death to die —
To leave this weary road,
And, ’midst the brotherhood on high.
To be at home with God.
Jesus, thou prince of life,
Thy chosen cannot die;
Like thee, they conquer in the strife,
To reign with thee on high.
437. Twenty-fourth Sunday after Trinity. II.
Give us, O God,
the spirit of wisdom and revelation
in the knowledge of thee. Amen.
Epistle Lesson, Colossians 1, 9-14. For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will, in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; that ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God; strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness; giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light: who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son; in whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins.
❦
You, faithful brethren, are delivered from the kingdom of darkness, from the power of the devil, and from the fellowship of his angels. The spirit of the power of the air, the spirit which is in the children of unbelief to darken their minds, and urge them on to all manner of wickedness, no longer dwells in you, nor has power in you. You have been translated into the kingdom of the Son of God; his blood has cleansed you; you have entered into heavenly places in Christ, and live in the society of the holy angels. For this you shall give thanks, and in it you shall rejoice. That which you now possess through faith, and enjoy in hope, you shall soon receive in glory; for the Father has made you meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light. This your fitness you shall prove by leading a godly life. You have made a beginning, and you should increase in godliness. The Spirit of God will give you all wisdom and understanding. He will give you an ever increasing knowledge of God, enabling you to see greater depths in the mystery of Christ; and he will give you more and more light and strength to walk in a way pleasing to the Lord. The more diligently you pray and use the word of God, the better shall you know the love of Christ, the stronger shall you be to serve him, and the more fruitful shall you be in every good work. When you are faithful herein, you receive all the time more light; the Spirit anoints your eyes, that you see the more clearly; and fills you with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding. Thus you are enabled to “walk worthy of the Lord;” think of it, “to walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing!” Not only are you yourselves beloved of the Father; but your conduct also shall be pleasing to the holy God; and not only pleasing, but entirely pleasing, you “being fruitful in every good work.” You shall be fruitful in that which is good; and not only that, but “fruitful in every good work, strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power.” Do hear and learn this, in order that you may not lose heart and strength for your sanctification: His glorious power strengthens you unto all patience and longsuffering; that you may easily persist, nor become weary. All who have tried it know how strong is the temptation to become negligent and to cease doing good, especially when the results are slow to appear. Patience is necessary, and longsuffering; persistence and unwearied courage, and a childlike mind toward God and all men. These you shall not lack, however; for the Almighty, who delivered you from hell and from all the power of the prince of death, shall strengthen you with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness. Blessed be his name! — Pray, then, for one another, and keep together under the standard of the cross! Ever more wise to know God, and to walk worthy of him; ever more holy and strong, more charitable and kind, more patient and happy! Give thanks to God, and bless him, and sing his praises always, until you stand before him, and see him face to face! — My God, I am, alas, as yet far, far away. But do thou, who didst give me an open ear, stretch out to me also thy strong hand and help me to lead a holy Christian life. Amen.*
My God! permit me not to be
A stranger to myself and thee:
Amidst a thousand thoughts I rove,
Forgetful of my highest love.
Call me away from flesh and sense;
Thy sovereign word can draw me thence:
I would obey the voice divine,
And all inferior joys resign.
[suggested tune: Federal Street (TLH 346), listen here]
* Here the head of the family says a short morning or evening prayer in his own words, and closes with the Lord’s Prayer and the Benediction. This is to be done every day. If the stanzas are not sung, they may be read in their proper place before the impromptu petition and the Lord’s Prayer.